La Cañada PTA Council celebrates those who go above and beyond with Founders Day awards

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La Canada High School 7/8 PTA President Christa Evans recognizes La Canada High School 7/8 honorary service award recipient and parent volunteer Caren Saiet who is pumping her arms to applause she received for a â€œno-cell-phone policyâ€ she initiated at Pacific Canyon Elementary at an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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La Canada Elementary’s honorary service award recipients Andrea Redecker, Lee Chumo, Julie Bae, Jennifer Crocker, PTA President Karyn Perez, Cathy Kleineahlbrandt, and Principal Emily Blaney at an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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La Canada Elementary PTA President Karyn Perez recognizes La Canada Elementary honorary service award recipient and parent volunteer Julie Bae at an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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La Canada Elementary PTA President Karyn Perez recognizes La Canada Elementary honorary service award recipient and parent volunteer Lee Chumo at an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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La Canada Elementary PTA President Karyn Perez recognizes La Canada Elementary honorary service award recipient and parent volunteer Cathy Kleineahlbrandt at an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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La Canada Elementary PTA Principal Emily Blaney recognizes La Canada Elementary honorary service award recipient and parent volunteer Andrea Redecker at an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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La Canada Elementary Principal Emily Blaney recognizes La Canada Elementary honorary service award recipient and parent volunteer Jennifer Crocker at an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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La Canada Elementary Principal Emily Blaney recognizes La Canada Elementary Food Service Manager and honorary service award recipient Sonik Arutyunyan at an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Palm Crest Principal Karen Hurley with honorary award recipients Evelyn Harris, Megan Broberg, PTA President Holly Biondo, Kristin McDaniel, Sharon Anderson, and Brandon Norman at an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Palm Crest Elementary PTA President Holly Biondo recognizes Palm Crest Elementary honorary service award recipient and parent volunteer Megan Broberg at an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Palm Crest Elementary PTA President Holly Biondo recognizes Palm Crest Elementary honorary service award recipient and parent volunteer Sharon Anderson at an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Palm Crest Elementary PTA President Holly Biondo recognizes Palm Crest Elementary’s honorary service award recipient Brandon Norman of campus security at an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Palm Crest Elementary PTA President Holly Biondo recognizes Palm Crest Elementary honorary service award recipient and crossing guard Evelyn Harris at an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Palm Crest Elementary PTA President Holly Biondo recognizes Palm Crest Elementary honorary service award recipient and parent volunteer Kristin McDaniel at an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Paradise Canyon Elementary honorary special award recipients Carlo Cesario, Holly Breckheimer, Kristen Clark, PTA President Valerie Talbert, Principal Carrie Hetzel, Mikki Weightman, Linda Dunlop, and Karen Brown at an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.

(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Paradise Canyon Elementary PTA President Valerie Talbert recognizes Paradise Canyon Elementary honorary service award recipient and parent volunteer Holly Breckheimer at an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Paradise Canyon Elementary PTA President Valerie Talbert recognizes Paradise Canyon Elementary honorary service award recipient and parent volunteer Kristen Brown at an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Paradise Canyon Elementary PTA President Valerie Talbert recognizes Paradise Canyon Elementary honorary service award recipient and parent volunteer Carlo Cesario at an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Paradise Canyon Elementary PTA President Valerie Talbert recognizes Paradise Canyon Elementary honorary service award recipient and parent volunteer Karen Clark at an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.

(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Paradise Canyon Elementary PTA President Valerie Talbert recognizes Paradise Canyon Elementary honorary service award recipient and parent volunteer Mikki Weightman at an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Paradise Canyon Elementary PTA President Valerie Talbert recognizes Paradise Canyon Elementary honorary service award recipient and parent volunteer Linda Dunlop at an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Parent volunteer Frances Delgatty talks with friends before the event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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People gather outside the auditorium at an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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La Canada PTSA VP Lisa Dick welcomes people to an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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PTSA VP Lisa Dick recognizes parent volunteer with the La Canada PTA Council honorary service award recipient Dan Jeffries at an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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The stage with award recipients and PTSA members at an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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PTSA VP Lisa Dick recognizes parent volunteer with the La Canada PTA Council honorary service award recipient Melissa Mazin at an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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PTSA VP Lisa Dick recognizes parent volunteer with the La Canada PTA Council honorary service award recipient Betsy Asher Hall at an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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La Canada High School 7/8 PTA President Christa Evans with honorary award repents Caren Saiet, Shannon Ortiz, Asiya Hasan, Megan Dever, and La Canada High School 7/8 Principal Jarrett Gold at an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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La Canada High School 7/8 PTA President Christa Evans recognizes La Canada High School 7/8 honorary service award recipient and special education aid Shannon Ortiz at an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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La Canada High School 7/8 Principal Jarrett Gold recognizes La Canada High School 7/8 honorary service award recipient and paraprofessional II Asiya Hasan at an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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La Canada High School 7/8 Principal Jarrett Gold recognizes La Canada High School 7/8 honorary service award recipient and eighth grade math teacher Megan Dever at an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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La Canada High School 7/8 Principal Jarrett Gold recognizes La Canada High School 7/8 places a candle lit piece of birthday cake on a podium for honorary service award recipient and eighth grade teacher Megan Dever to blow out at an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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La Canada High School honorary award recipients Justin Valissidis, Frances Delgatty, Laura Deans, Judy Kwon, PTA President Tamar Tujian, Susan Moore, and Principal James Cartnal at an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.

(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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La Canada High School PTA President Tamar Tujian recognizes La Canada High School honorary service award recipient and parent volunteer Judy Kwon at an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.

(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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La Canada High School PTA President Tamar Tujian recognizes La Canada High School honorary service award recipient and parent volunteer Frances Delgatty at an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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La Canada High School Principal James Cartnal recognizes La Canada High School honorary service award recipient and english teacher Susan Moore at an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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La Canada High School Principal James Cartnal recognizes La Canada High School honorary service award recipient and english teacher Justin Valassidis at an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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La Canada High School Principal James Cartnal recognizes La Canada High School honorary service award recipient and Laura Deans at an event to celebrate the 2019 PTA Service Award honorees at La Canada High School Laura Deans on Thursday, March 21, 2019. The Founders Day event, presented by the La Canada Council of PTAs, honored people who make the schools great.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

They shield kindergartners from oncoming traffic in crosswalks outside schools. They lay cool hands on fevered foreheads, encourage the inclusion of a fruit or vegetable with lunch or use their keen math skills to keep the PTA’s books clean.

They are the employees, teachers and parent volunteers who make La Cañada Unified School District campuses centers for learning and support, and last Thursday several among their ranks were honored when the La Cañada PTA Council presented this year’s Founders Day Awards.

In a March 21 ceremony held at La Cañada High School, Council President Lisa Dick explained how the National Parent Teacher Assn. created Founders Day awards to recognize individuals whose commitment to improving the lives of children embody the spirit of the group’s original founders.

“The founders of the PTA were women of imagination and courage. They understood the power of individual action, worked beyond the accepted barriers of their day and took action to change the world for all children,” she addressed the crowd. “All the people we’re honoring tonight continue that spirit and progress.”

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Dick presented three awards at the PTA Council level and was followed by school site PTA presidents and administrators, who awarded recipients from their respective campuses. For each honoree, speakers provided brief remarks highlighting how that person daily goes above and beyond the ordinary call of duty.

During the one-hour ceremony attendees learned, for example, how parent Lee Chumo lends her green thumb to La Cañada Elementary School’s many garden areas, and how longtime Paradise Canyon Elementary School third-grade teacher Kristen Brown instills confidence in every student she encounters.

“She truly is like Mary Poppins with the children,” said Valerie Talbert, the school’s PTA president.

Palm Crest Elementary School PTA President Emily Biondo praised campus security staff member Brandon Norman for his winning ways with students and parents and ability to diffuse tense situations while supervising the school’s car drop-off line.

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“Mr. Brandon has mastered the art of diplomacy to such an extent that he can swiftly broker a deal between two frustrated, in-a-rush parents who both believe with all their hearts that they have the right of way,” Biondo said of Norman, who was nominated by several students. “(And) he makes the students feel supported, heard and safe.”

Passing out awards on behalf of La Cañada High School 7/8, PTA President Christa Evans recognized parent volunteer Caren Sait for her successful effort to ban cellphone use among students during the school day, which drew applause from the audience, and thanked paraprofessional Shannon Ortiz for being an educator, substitute parent and life coach all rolled into one.

Principal Jarrett Gold presented an award, and a cupcake with a candle in it, to eighth-grade math teacher Megan Dever, who is famous for getting students to love mathematics and happened to be celebrating her birthday.

Tamar Tujian, PTA president for LCHS 9-12, praised mom Judy Kwon for diligently attending every PTA meeting and relaying important information to parents among La Cañada’s Korean American community. Tujian also thanked parent volunteer Frances Delgatty for putting her heart into every cause she takes up, like reinventing the school’s Red Ribbon Week antidrug campaign.

“Thank you for your energy and your heart — your huge heart — you deserve this award 10 times over,” she said.

Sara Cardine covers the city of La Cañada Flintridge for the La Cañada Valley Sun. This means days filled with phone calls, emails and Facebook messages about home break-ins, city ordinances and code violations, schlepping to city and school board meetings, furiously scribbling notes at local events, learning and sharing about the innovative and ingenious undertakings of various La Cañada Flintridge adults and children, and lots and lots of research. Did you just hear that loud boom sound outside? She’s probably calling someone about it right now.